After an amateur playing career, he rose through the coaching ranks of Real Sociedad where he made his La Liga debut in 2013, also leading Osasuna in the top flight and taking the latter club to the Segunda División title in 2019.
Arrasate became a coach immediately after retiring, his first two clubs being amateur. In 2010, he returned to Real Sociedad where he had been groomed, being appointed coach of the youth teams.[4]
In July 2012, Arrasate was promoted to Real's first team as assistant to Philippe Montanier.[5] The following year, as the Frenchman left for Rennes, he was named his successor.[6] He debuted in La Liga on 17 August with a 2–0 home win against Getafe,[7] and led the team in their campaign in the UEFA Champions League, in which they defeated Lyon to qualify for the group stage for the first time in a decade,[4] but finished bottom of the table.[8]
Arrasate was appointed at the helm of Numancia on 12 June 2015, replacing Juan Antonio Anquela.[11] On his debut on 23 August, the team won 6–3 at home to Tenerife on the first day of the second-division season;[12] towards the end of a 10th-place finish he was rewarded with one more season in the job.[13]
On 20 June 2018, Arrasate was named Osasuna manager after agreeing to a one-year contract.[16] He renewed his contract until 2020 the following 5 March,[17] and achieved promotion to La Liga as champions.[18]
Arrasate signed another new deal on 18 November 2019, tying him to the Rojillos until June 2022.[19] Six days later the team lost 2–1 at home to local rivals Athletic Bilbao, ending a club-best 602 days unbeaten at the El Sadar Stadium.[20]
On 7 March 2022, Arrasate's contract was extended for two more years, with the news being broken through a banner on the Avenida Carlos III in Pamplona.[21] In the ensuing season, he led Osasuna to the Spanish Cup final for the first time in 18 years after a 2–1 extra-time win at home to Sevilla in the quarter-finals[22] and a 2–1 aggregate defeat of Athletic in the next round;[23] they lost the decisive match 2–1 to Real Madrid.[24] In the domestic league, a seventh-place finish meant qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League in a return to Europe for the first time in 16 years.[25]
Mallorca
On 10 June 2024, Arrasate was appointed at fellow top-tier Mallorca on a three-year deal.[26][27]
Personal life
On 12 August 2020, Arrasate tested positive for COVID-19.[28] As of 2023, he had three children.[29]
^Velasco, Gonzalo (18 November 2019). "Arrasate renueva hasta 2022" [Arrasate renews until 2022]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
^Velasco, Gonzalo (25 November 2019). "El estilo de Arrasate es innegociable" [Arrasate's style is non-negotiable]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
^Martínez de Zúñiga, Uxue (7 March 2022). "Arrasate renueva hasta 2024" [Arrasate renews until 2024]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2023.